Sunlight streamed in the kitchen windows, almost blinding me as I swirled my spoon through the mess of nuts and oatmeal Gram set in front of me. Galleytrot sat at my side, tongue out, eyes eager. I finally slid the bowl to the edge of the table and let him have it.

Not much of an appetite.

Gram glared, grabbed a wooden spoon thick with her concoction and filled a new bowl, dropping it in front of me with so much force I had to wipe splatter from the back of my ...